The True Dejarik Master
by Lauren K
Summary: In the Clone Wars, the Galaxy's a Dejarik board.
1. Prolouge The Dejarik Master

At the heart of the galaxy, a Dejarik Master sat, contemplating the game. It was a game being played on a truly massive scale, larger than any had ever been played. He had been planning his moves for years, and had put them in motion before his opponent ever knew the game had started.

As his adversary had first begun to comprehend one square of the game board, his first planned sacrifice of the game was played- a mere pawn, taken by one of their knights, but his enemy had focused all it's attention on that single piece, letting him maneuver his other pawns into place.

Years later, as the game had progressed silently, unnoticed, he allowed yet another revelation to occur- he revealed another piece of the board, and allowed the enemy's pawns to come into play, and their other pieces to roam the board, battling his lesser, unimportant fighters.

He gave them a decoy to follow and focus on- a knight, which exemplified all the chivalry and honor that goes with the title, which swooped expertly around the board, always out of reach. He gave them, also, a glimpse at his king, so immeasurably far away, yet so tantalizingly close. And as the game intensified, he unleashed his other knight- this one embodying all of the ferociousness on the battlefield and the grasping tenacity with witch it pursued its prey; a symbol of terror and malicious grace for all who stood before it. But as the game drew to a close, one of the knights had to be sacrificed.

His artful and chivalrous knight was swept from the board, leaving his foe with a feeling of triumph, searching for another target. He drew their attention to his other knight, sending his fighting scourge into a retreat. The wretched thing would be his next sacrifice on the great, galactic Dejarik board known as war.

As one of his opponent's knights was drawn away to this engagement far from the true battlefield of the game, he could concentrate on their other knight- capable of brilliance and power, yet underplayed and unexploited. This little piece of his enemy's would become one of the most powerful instruments he had ever controlled.

As the Dejarik Master stood, pulling his dark robes closer around him, he smiled, coldly. For all of his foe's many feints and cunning plans laid down, they had yet to realize the game was already over. How could it be anything but, when they never even comprehended the rules of the game? When they never even saw, never even dreamt that they could be betrayed.

The Dejarik Master pulled the hood of his robes over his head, his brown eyes falling into impenetrable shadow, and turned to face a holoprojector. A blue image flickered, and then resolved into a tall, skeletal form, which bowed gracefully.

"Yes, Lord Sidious?" His knight addressed him, its voice hissing from behind its ivory-colored war mask. It clasped its metal hands behind its back, drawing back its dark cape to reveal the rest of its shell-like avatar, its yellow eyes gazing up at him.

_Now, my little knight, I condemn thee to your fate, _the Dejarik Master thought as he opened his mouth to speak in a cold, pitiless voice.

"General Grievous…"


	2. The Warrior

_AN- Gasp! I have updated! This isn't the whole chapter… unfortunately, I have too much homework to actually finish it. But I found a good stopping point, and I wanted to upload it. Without further adieu, the story! _

Far from the heart of the galaxy, a warrior prepared for battle. His adversary had arrived too obviously for all its attempts at secrecy, and when it moved to engage him, he was ready. As he dealt with one of his underlings, he heard it moving in the rafters above him. When it dropped to the ground, he did not move, instead, waited for it to announce itself, as it undoubtedly would. And he was not kept waiting, as it's hateful voice called out, some four meters behind him.

"Hello there!" At the sound of his enemy's voice, his guards whirled to face the new threat, igniting their electrostaffs, the hum of the charge pulsing through the air as they fell into defensive stances on either side of him, glaring with unblinking red eyes at the one foolish enough to attempt to threaten their master. He turned to face this foolish entity slowly, eyes alight with the promise of a battle.

"General Kenobi!" He laughed, as his machine fighters closed in to encircle his foe. "You are a bold one…" _And unintelligent. _He longed for a fight, but such a nuisance was beneath him. He stepped back, his guards advancing, one flourishing its staff in a dazzle of electricity as all four of them stalked towards their target. He clasped his hands behind his back, standing wide-legged, his eyes fixed on the soon to be deceased foe. "Kill him!"

As his guards advanced, their opponent stepped back, igniting its energy blade and twirling it into a ready stance. The warrior glared contemptuously at his foe. _That one needs to learn that if he keeps his hand that far out in front of his blade, it will be removed. It's a lesson that he would remember for the rest of his life, regardless of the duration of his pitiful, doomed existence._ He watched as the fighter raised his eyes to above it's opponents, and brought its hand up, and a loud groan from metal under enormous stress was heard. A gigantic block of durasteel separated from its supports near the roof, compelled by some invisible means, and began to drop. His guards had only enough time to register the event with a frantic flurry of code, before three of them where completely crushed, ending their existences instantly. The remaining guard, one of its legs crushed beneath the staggering force of the weight, scrambled desperately for its staff lying next to it. Its electronic screeches falling suddenly silent as its head was removed from its shoulders by a blade of energy, its body falling broken to the floor.

As the warrior's opponent moved forward to engage him, his soldiers closed in to attack. _No… This is something I cannot pass up. After dealing so well against my guards, it would be a shame to let this one fall by any other means, _he thought, as he turned his head to the machines, now standing ready to fire.

"Back away. I will deal with this Jedi slime myself!" He snarled, standing up to his imposing full height, towering over his advancing foe.

"Your move," It said. He would have rolled his eyes if the situation had permitted it. _Idiot. _  
"You fool!" He growled, as undid the clasp on his cape, flicking it open with a move showing as much contempt for his opponent as was heard in his voice. "I have been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku!" He grasped four of his sabers, his trophies, firmly in his hands as he shrugged the cape off his shoulders, letting it flow like molten durasteel down his back. He held them out at his sides, giving a wordless command which transformed his six-fingered hands into four, each spinning in a full rotation as they came alive. He coughed, his damaged, lungs straining at the utmost to keep him alive. _The Jedi will _pay_ for what they've done to me!_ Each hand ignited the sabers held in their strong grip, each one hissing as it came forth, eager for blood. Yearning for battle.

The warrior whirled his blades into a ready stance, deadly arcs of light humming as they came to rest, all four pointed at his opponent. "Attack, Kenobi!"


End file.
